Extraordinary nature and human recovery: Psychological and physiological perspectives

The restorative effect of natural environments on human well-being has garnered significant attention in psychology and environmental science. However, extraordinary nature-such as volcanoes, glaciers, and starry skies-has been largely underexplored despite its potential to elicit stronger emotional and physiological responses. Similarly, personality analysis has been somewhat overlooked in environmental psychology research. This study investigates the psychophysiological benefits of both extraordinary and ordinary natural environments, focusing on emotional recovery, cognitive focus, and physiological relaxation. We incorporate personality traits, gender, and awe as key factors in understanding recovery outcomes. Using a sample of 88 young adults(44males, 44females) with 20.2 (SD = 1.1)average year old, we evaluated psychological and physiological recovery indicators, including alpha and beta wave activity measured by EEG, as well as derived indices of focus and relaxation from EEG data, and self-reported psychological recovery.The results indicate that: (1) Extraordinary nature leads to significantly greater restorative effects on psychological and physiological outcomes, with marked improvements in alpha and beta waves, focus, relaxation, and psychological recovery scores. (2) Not all individuals favor extraordinary nature; two-way ANOVA reveals that individuals with high openness and extraversion show a stronger preference for extraordinary nature. (3) A higher sense of awe towards nature correlates strongly with better recovery outcomes, as demonstrated through correlation analysis and fitting curves. (4) Gender differences reveal that men tend to prefer extraordinary nature, with stronger recovery outcomes. This study introduces new perspectives into green space planning, urban landscape design, and environmental psychology, emphasizing the importance of incorporating stunning elements into public spaces to promote psychological and physical health, accelerate the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations, build sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, land-based living, and promote health and well-being. The research findings indicate that extraordinary nature can be a powerful tool for improving public health and provide valuable insights for creating more sustainable and restorative urban environments.